Chapter 25 – Talk of the Devil…
Shepard gasped with dismay when the pulsing dot on the screen vanished. "Where did it go?" she demanded instantly, gripping the back of Joker's seat.
Checking everything was in working order their end, Joker's fingers tapped at his console to no effect, looking back at her helplessly. "It's not us."
"I am sorry, Shepard," said Edi, beside her. "The signal has stopped transmitting."
Terra stared between Edi and Joker, willing them to offer her something. She couldn't have gotten this close to lose them now…. "Tell me we were near enough to get the ship on long-range." She already knew the answer.
"We were not," Edi stated. "At their current projected speed, I estimate they will be entering the relay in three minutes and 37 seconds."
"We're an hour away," murmured Joker.
Numb, Terra knew that on the other side of that last relay there was an expanse of space to search. It would take time. Time that Kaidan and Garrus probably didn't have. "Is there anything Adams and Clay can do to improve our speed?"
Joker restrained himself from giving her the honest 'no chance in hell' response that would have fallen from his lips had it been any other mission. Shepard needed some kind of hope to hold onto…but he also couldn't give her a false one. He inwardly sighed. "I'll ask, but they've already busted their guts to get us what we have," Joker warned.
Only able to nod her understanding, Terra walked away, coming to a stand-still in the middle of the CIC.
"Admiral?" quietly asked Traynor as she sidled up to her. "Are you all right?"
"I…" For a moment, all Terra could hear was the rush of her blood pumping round her body from her elevated heart-rate. The last thing she wanted was to have an anxiety attack right here, so she inhaled deeply, letting it out again as slow as she could until the usual sounds of the CIC returned. Then the elevator opened to let out Rorie, Cortez waiting inside the cab. That clearly tired, beautiful little face smiled at her, focusing and soothing her instantly. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine." Terra bent to gather Rorie up, receiving the cuddle she needed.
"I'm sleepy, mommy."
"I bet you are. You've been up all night. I don't know how you've managed to keep going so long. All the excitement, I suppose."
"Uncle Estban said it's nearly morning," yawned Rorie. "That means I have to wake up soon."
"First you need to be asleep," laughed Terra, carrying her back to the elevator, giving Steve an appreciative look as she joined him.
"Will daddy be here when I open my eyes?" Rorie asked, hopefully, rubbing her eyes with the back of her small balled fists, then resting her head on Terra's shoulder.
At her hesitation, Steve placed a hand on Terra's other shoulder. "I hope so, sweetie," was all she could say as they were lowered to the crew deck.
Placing one foot in front of the other required concentration all the way to Rorie's room. She needed to lose herself in the simple but rewarding task of putting Rorie to bed; to lose herself in a fairy-tale where, when all seems lost, a fairy conveniently pops up and waves a wand to make it all better.
oOo
oOo
Kaidan woke up on his side with a throbbing ache in his chest. Looking down at himself, he saw that his jacket had been cut open, medigel dumped lazily around his punctured skin where his broken rib poked through, sealing the skin around his exposed bone. Kryek didn't want him bleeding out – there was no fun to be had from a dead man.
"How bad is it?" rasped Garrus quietly, his throat raw from earlier.
"I'll live," murmured Kaidan. He let his head fall back to rest on the ground. "Did I miss anything?"
"Another relay jump a while back. And I think they've received the location of our last stop."
Kryek sauntered over, the satisfied smirk now a permanent feature. "Hello, ladies. Good news. We're almost there. The beginning of the end for you two if this Lawson woman backs up all that talk. Looking forward to being a part of that."
"Kryek," called out Antella. "Better strap in."
Then there was a judder that Kaidan suspected was the ship entering atmosphere. He looked at Garrus in worry. They were here, and with the horrible memory of what he was sure was the tracker breaking, that was not good news for him and Garrus.
oOo
With her daughter tucked up in bed and out like a light before Terra had gotten past the first paragraph of the story, she'd headed up to the cabin to compose a message for Narin.
Shepard had suspected he was probably awake despite the early hour, but a call would have involved him answering with the briefest of greetings before launching into his latest updates on the spore research with barely a breath to allow her to get a word in. The fact was, unless he could tell her he'd succeeded in recreating the mutated thorian spores within Rorie, then she wasn't interested. Hence her succinct note of Liara's problem, asking if he thought he'd be able to help, finishing with an apology for potentially adding another challenge to his already busy workload. Shepard could only hope it was possible, and it was difficult knowing that was all she could do for Liara at this point.
That's when Joker had notified her the Council were waiting to speak with her. Apparently, she and her crew weren't the only ones unable to rest.
Shepard stepped into the more private area of the war-room's communication bay to answer the Council's call, all four figures appearing within the holo, looking almost ghostly with the holo's blue hue.
"Admiral," greeted Tevos. "We're calling to check on the status of your personal mission."
Noting the wording, Shepard felt irritation spark. This was one of their Spectre's, and their Executor… "There's been a setback, but we're confident we can find them." It was a half-truth. She would find them, but would it be too late?
"Can you tell us how long it will take?" pressed Valern.
She sucked in her lips, wishing the salarian hadn't asked. "No. It's not possible at this point. We only have it narrowed down to the Hoc system." And she only had that because it was the only system within Sentry Omega.
"A whole system," sighed Sparatus.
The way the three seasoned Councillors looked at each other made Shepard feel uneasy, and she noted that Osoba was staring down, clearly not a part of what was coming next.
"At this juncture, we feel the need to make our position clear," started Valern.
"We understand your personal loss," assured Tevos, "but the threat the Leviathans pose is one to the whole galaxy."
Then it was Sparatus' turn. "You are a Council Spectre, and as such, your duty is to continue your service to us and the galactic community."
"It was paramount you found Aurora. Now that you have, we will give you a further four hours, Admiral," declared Tevos. "Then we require your focus be returned to the Leviathans."
There it was. They were ordering her to abandon her search. Maybe she would find them within four hours, but maybe not. Strangely, she didn't feel anger towards them. It was like she expected this sort of thing from the Councillors. Besides, she was saving all that ire for Chimera. "With respect, I'm not the only Spectre you have. And there are plenty of other experienced people out there who are experts in reconnaissance. You don't need me-"
"That is not your decision to make, Admiral," frowned Tevos. "You pledged yourself to our will-"
"I've done enough," interrupted Shepard, tersely. "I dragged this galaxy kicking and screaming through the Reapers first attempt to destroy us. I carried on serving the galactic community, even when I was ostracised as a traitor. I pulled the races together when you all wanted to barter, squabble, or bury your heads. I've done more for this galaxy than you could have possibly asked me to, and I will continue to do so. But frankly, I find it disturbing just how expendable you treat one of your own Spectre's, as well as your Executor, that you'd so quickly be prepared to write them off. I cannot, I will not turn away from my search until I have what I'm looking for. If that's a problem, Councillors, then I'll resign. I'm going to find Kaidan and Garrus, and then I'm going deal with the Leviathans – alone if I have to."
"That won't be necessary, Admiral," Osoba finally addressed her, with what could only be interpreted as a satisfied look on his face. "I told the other Councillors you wouldn't turn from this. And rightly so. If we abandon those important to us so readily, what does that say about us? I've personally found it most entertaining to see my fellows reminded of that determination which got us all through the Reaper war," smiled Osoba, ignoring the unhappy glares from those standing with him. "I agree with you: we have other resources."
"I appreciate that, Councillor Osoba."
"Please accept my apology. This call should never have been made." Osoba's smile then widened to a grin. "And I'm quite sure that my colleagues are now wishing they hadn't."
"Thank you, Dominic," rumbled Sparatus, "for – what is your human saying? – 'rubbing salt in the wound'? You have made your point well, Shepard."
"And shamed us in the process," Tevos agreed, eyes not quite meeting Shepard's.
"But we do have a galaxy to worry about," argued Valern.
"I assure you I haven't forgotten or abandoned it. Know that I have every intention of re-joining that fight with the Leviathans. I'm fully aware of the wider implications if they succeed, and the pace with which it's coming. But without knowing the fate of those two people, my head isn't in the game."
"Forgive me, Shepard," worried Sparatus, "but what if you cannot save them?"
"I'll continue to function as a Spectre, Councillor. … Just one carrying a great loss," she finished, almost under her breath, though they all heard it.
"I understand, Shepard," Osoba said, softly. "Thank you. We'll ensure you're kept informed of our decisions. I wish you every luck."
Signing off with a new heaviness, Shepard braced herself on the rail that had separated them. What if you cannot save them? It was a question that had haunted her since this mess had begun, and it terrified her. The ping at her wrist seemed very out of place with its upbeat tone, but it worked to break her out of her funk.
Shepard,
Yes. No apology necessary. Enjoy the challenge. Will, however, require more resources. Staff. If you could assist with this, would be most grateful.
May also be on verge of breakthrough with spores. Theory at present. Will know for certain following preliminary tests. Shall notify you when results are known.
Regards
N. Solus
The message was so abrupt she had to read it again, but that first word was all she needed. 'Yes'. Just like that. Narin's seemingly endless positive attitude renewed her. There was a chance for Liara. She realised then that somewhere along the line she'd gotten bogged down with her fears. That wasn't who she was. She was a fighter. When other people told her it wasn't possible, she looked for a way. Find the answers, or get help from those who could. Chimera wasn't anything she hadn't fought before, like Reapers, or the Leviathans. Chimera was human, the variety of which she dealt with every day.
"We're about to enter the relay, Admiral," declared Altair.
"On my way." She spun on her heel, back straight, shoulders back, rising above the incessant ache in her muscles; they didn't matter. Her strides were strong, her head raised and her thoughts already alert and considering options. By the time she had arrived to stand behind Altair for the relay jump Shepard was rejuvenated inside. Kaidan and Garrus were on the other side of the only relay that led in or out of the Hoc system. She was a Spectre with the fastest stealth ship, a talented crew, the Shadow Broker on board, a Justicar, not to mention a prothean no-one could compare to in terms of being a war-veteran, the 'perfect' krogan, the 'psychotic biotic' as Jack affectionately referred to herself, and a N7 by the name of Vega who, along with Jack, would happily go rip Chimera to shreds all by themselves, and succeed doing it.
Alone, she was already unstoppable. With these people behind her, they were a black-hole Chimera thought they could skirt around where in fact they were already caught within the pull unaware of the force which would soon be tearing them apart.
"Liara's and Hackett's ships are pulling back, as per your orders," informed Joker. "They'll be waiting if we need them."
"Take us through. Stealth systems engaged."
That surge which pulled the ship in was once again enjoyable the way it used to be for Terra before the knowledge of the Reapers hand in their existence tainted them. The familiar drop in her stomach as they came out of its embrace was accompanied by anticipation.
It would have been nice to see a station slap-bang in front of them, instead, there was just more of that same black void marred only by the pinpricks of light from the system's sun, planets, and their moons. But that was okay, because she was another step closer.
"No traces of anything that could be from a ship," Joker said, "but considering the small size of the vessel and the length of time since they came through, it's not surprising."
Shepard chewed over her options. "Space station or planet?" she murmured to herself. Then she strode off towards the war-room. "Edi, bring this system up in the war-room, please."
"Done, Shepard."
Teryck and Hackett had at some point during the jump re-entered the room and were already at the circular console, staring at the map.
"Space station or planet-side?" voiced her father, as though they were of one mind.
"Surely it has to be a station," commented Teryck. "There are no inhabitable planets here."
Not anymore…. Shepard couldn't even look at the one planet that had once been brimming with life. It was too painful.
Liara scurried in. "Shepard. I have been studying Lawson's accounts. There has been an inordinate amount coming out of the business for Lawson's personal use, going all the way back to the day Henry and Miranda Lawson were killed. As expected, the most recent transactions are to a large number of small but capable merc bands. What is of most interest, however, is that much of the expenditure early on has been on medical and scientific personnel and equipment, as well as terraforming apparatus."
"Terraforming means we can rule out a space station," Hackett said immediately.
"It would only be possible to terraform two of those planets," added Shepard, quietly, one planet drawing her attention in no good way.
"And I believe we can isolate which they are on by investigating the type of equipment purchased," Liara nodded.
"Give it to Edi to cross-reference. That would explain the science personnel, but why the medical staff?" worried Shepard.
"I would say that it's for some unthinkable intention regarding Garrus and Kaidan," frowned Teryck. "However, if some of these people were recruited four years ago, it seems unlikely they would've been employed so long before the kidnappings."
Shepard ran her hands over her now-aching head. "Any intel on those she hired?"
"Glyph is still in the process of collating that information," answered Liara. "But most of those recruited have known Cerberus associations."
"Have you found anything to link Oriana directly to past involvement with Cerberus?"
"No. I have pulled apart every aspect of her life. There is nothing beyond her family ties. Before the deaths of her father and sister, Oriana was seeking to work in colony development, with the aim to make colonies safer for families."
"Colony development… Could she have had input with the Sanctuary project?"
"Although she did send refugees to Sanctuary, I do not think she did it with knowledge of what was going on there. During the Reaper war, she worked every day and most nights in the refugee camps on the Citadel to look after those who did not want to risk travelling there."
"But she lives on Ilium. Are you saying she deliberately went to the Citadel?"
"To help. Yes. My agents talked to those she worked with. They could not sing her praises more highly. One asari colleague said she had overheard a conversation that Oriana had with her father in which she refused to board the ship he had waiting for her because she knew she was needed on the Citadel. And a turian colleague said she lifted many of the refugees' spirits with her kindness. If I did not know better I would question the likelihood of Oriana's part in this."
Shepard agreed. The contradiction confused her. Oriana sounded nothing like Miranda, nor Cerberus material. "Cerberus…."
Jacob Taylor had dedicated life post-Reapers to keeping tabs on so-called Cerberus groups and ex-members. Those who genuinely wanted to move on in their lives in a positive way, he helped out, the stigma of being former Cerberus making some outcasts, and others he helped lock up, their extreme views holding despite the organisation's downfall. Either way, he had his fingers on a lot of info.
When her call was finally answered, it was by a bleary-eyed Jacob.
"Shepard? What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I need your help."
"Sure-"
"Is that Commander Shepard!?" came a female voice.
It seemed Jacob had moved on quickly enough.
Jacob gave an irked look off-screen at his companion. "It's Admiral now. Do you mind? This is a personal call."
From his hard tone with the woman he'd been sharing a bed with, Terra guessed she was just a casual fling rather than anything serious. When he turned back to the screen he looked a little embarrassed.
"Sorry, Shepard. You should probably know that Brynn and I-"
"I know, Jacob. Not my business."
Relieved, Jacob carried on. "I was about to head out there with Drake, help search for Rorie. Glad you found her."
"You've heard about Kaidan and Garrus?"
"Brynn filled me in. I've had eyes out for any signs of them."
"I appreciate that, but we've discovered a specific link to Cerberus personnel, and I'm wondering, with your extensive contacts, whether you've ever heard of a new organisation called Chimera."
"Chimera… Actually that does sound kinda familiar. … Hold on. Let me check my files."
Shepard had to admit she was surprised, and thankfully it didn't take Jacob long to come back.
"Yeah. There was an instance about three years back when an ex-Cerberus doctor – a friend of Brynn's - got approached by an organisation going by that name. He was a neurologist. Dr Miko Pae. He wasn't interested in getting mixed up with any more shady groups so he declined their very generous offer. He runs Earth's leading neurology hospital now. Then about four months ago, one of his practice's partners got the same offer. That was Dr Nyah Kingston, also former Cerberus. She nearly took the offer – she's become a little jaded with the limited funding available here on Earth with resources still stretched so tight. She was all set to go until she was given the location co-ordinates. Apparently it was some far-out place. She wasn't prepared to risk her life outside Citadel-controlled space, so she refused at the last moment."
"Do you know where that location was?" asked Shepard, her heart thumping.
"Kingston didn't say and I have to admit I was swamped with a ton of other stuff to pay much heed to it. But I do have a note of those coordinates. Sending them your way now."
Shepard exchanged a look with Liara which she was sure gave away her excitement. "Thank you, Jacob."
"Hope it helps, Shepard. Good luck out there."
"Edi?" Shepard asked the second she terminated the connection.
"I believe it is the location of Chimera. The planet is within this system, and also corresponds with the necessary terraforming equipment purchased by Lawson."
The galaxy map of the Hoc system gradually zoomed in to pinpoint the one planet she had hoped intensely it would not be: Virmire. She never wanted to return there, yet fate or pure evil had given her no choice.
"Shepard. The co-ordinates are precisely where Saren Arterius' cloning and research facility was."
That knowledge caused her to involuntarily inhale sharply. The place she lost Ashley. A rush of foreboding pulled her down to a dark place.
"It's the perfect spot," muttered Hackett. "Who they hell would look for them there? The amount they must have spent to terraform it safely after the resulting radioactivity must have been astronomical."
"Lawson Enterprises had the funds," nodded Liara.
"Still, to get even a small area habitable after so short a time, doesn't seem possible," argued Hackett.
"It's what the science teams were for," added Teryck.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Given enough funds, we all know science can do great things," said Hackett, his arm brushing against his daughter's.
Shepard's head was elsewhere. "Altair. We have our destination. E.t.a?"
"Forty-five minutes, Admiral."
"Make it thirty-five," butted in Joker. "I've got a trick to show Altair here on how to shave off those ten minutes she was intending to waste skirting an asteroid field."
"Good. Edi, notify everyone joining us for the fight."
"Yes, Shepard."
Then she was heading for the armoury, followed closely by Liara.
O
"How can you have a trick? There's only one way to get around a debris field," Altair frowned at Joker.
"Pff. Yeah, if you follow 'proper procedure'."
Pausing as she tried to work out what he meant, Altair suddenly gasped, looking at him like he'd gone absolutely mad. "Oh my God! You're talking about going through it, aren't you!?"
"Yep. Easy."
"Shouldn't Shepard know about this plan!?"
Joker gave her a look like she'd just grown two heads. "Why? She trusts me."
"Maybe she shouldn't with ideas like that!"
"Relax. I've been through a lot worse when we came out the other side of the Omega 4 relay. That makes this asteroid field look like crumbs. Don't worry. I'm taking this one."
"Doesn't the doctor have to, you know, okay you? In case you're not fit to fly."
Joker speared her with his disdain. "You did not just say that. Not fit? I was born fit to fly, Altair. After a comment like that, you'll be lucky to ever sit there again. Now, give my seat back."
"Okay …" She rose and stood aside to make way for Joker. "But for the record, Sir, I'm quietly freaking out about this."
Joker sank into his seat with a contented sigh. "Not so quietly actually, so try harder, you're ruining my comeback moment." He even closed his eyes to enjoy it. Then he glanced over at Altair who was already a little white, and grinned mischievously. "Oh, you're in for a treat, Altair."
oOo
The jolt of the landing sent ripples of pain through Kaidan's chest, the medigel's anaesthetic qualities were wearing off. To add to it, the ache in his head from the tracker, which he'd so far been managing, was beginning to beat a sterner drum, and he could feel the heat at the back of his neck. That was worrying. He had no idea if the tracker was still able to transmit, but it was certainly causing his biotic implant trouble.
When the engines switched off it left a heavy silence, and in it, Kaidan wondered what was next. Then he chided himself for an unhelpful line of thought. Instead, he imagined the moment Terra would be there, because tracker be damned, she'd find him. She'd be a vision of beauty. His wife. Then there'd be Rorie, waiting for him…on the Normandy, he decided. Terra wouldn't have even considered leaving her back on the Citadel. Not after all this. He just had to hold on so he could get back to them.
Looking across at Garrus, Kaidan wished he could have told him about the tracker – that Terra would have had a route to follow at least until Kryek had inadvertently damaged it, but being overheard would have been detrimental to their survival. When the turian met his eyes, there was a calm defiance that matched his own. Garrus had faith in Terra too, and if she couldn't get to them in time, it wouldn't be because she'd given up.
Voices could be heard outside, and what Kaidan thought sounded like waves of an ocean.
Kryek and Antella had wasted no time exiting the ship – Kryek with gusto, Antella less so after receiving the threat. Couldn't have happened to a nicer person.
Then the cargo door opened to the idyllic view that, much to his surprise, confirmed the image in Kaidan's head. It was marred by Kryek and Antella beside a group of armed mercs. Grinning stupidly, Kryek came over and hauled the two of them out into the bright sunshine and onto the warm pale sands of the beach they'd landed on. Left on his knees, Kaidan couldn't help but feel he'd been here before. One beach looked much like another, but there was something about the crumbling dark rock formations that erupted through the sands that reminded him of one place in particular. The only difference was the lack of marine life and the sound of birds.
"So, where is this Lawson woman?" Kryek asked impatiently.
"Follow me." The merc leader gestured to some of his men to grab Kaidan and Garrus, and led the way to the facility not far off.
As Kaidan was hoisted along he appraised the large gleaming white building, architecturally more like some luxury holiday resort than a base for Oriana Lawson's revenge. The transition from outside to inside changed the warmth from the sun to a temperature verging on cold. Coming to a stop in the large foyer-like area, Kaidan saw a woman who could only be Oriana, on a balcony overlooking them. She was the younger image of Miranda, but instead of the harshness that was etched into the genetically-engineered face of her sister, Oriana wore only anxiety and torment. It confused Kaidan as he met her eyes and saw the unspoken apology there. This wasn't a woman who wanted to harm them.
"Miss Lawson," greeted Antella with a smile, his previous confidence returning now that he wasn't alone with Kryek. "They're all yours."
"Do what you want with me!" Garrus yelled up at Lawson. "Nothing you do to me will ever make me regret putting that bullet in Miranda's brain. She earned that by trying to kill Shepard. But Kaidan had nothing to do with it."
"He killed my father!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" argued Garrus. "That evil bitch killed your father."
"Miranda!?" Oriana's mouth fell open. "That's- That's not true!" She looked at Kaidan.
"I didn't touch him, Oriana," he confirmed, using a soft tone, sincerity, and her first name, in the hopes that he would not only convince her, but also establish some kind of rapport that might get them out of this. "Henry held her to ransom at gunpoint in order to bargain for his own freedom. When he released her, she killed him."
Her eyes bore into him as though she could delve straight into his brain and see the truth for herself if she just stared hard enough. "You spread those lies about Sanctuary…" she added weakly.
"I'm sorry, Oriana, but they weren't lies." Kaidan watched her wrestle with his words. The light from a window in the ceiling above her, made her eyes shimmer as the rays reflected off the unshed tears that had collected there.
"But I sent people there…to be safe from the Reapers." Her voice shook. "Families. Father said he'd keep them safe."
"He had another agenda."
"And it certainly had nothing to do with caring for others," growled Garrus, obviously having no desire to pander to the woman.
"What the fuck is this?" complained Kryek. "I thought we brought them here for some fun, not a fucking heart-to-heart."
"Don't concern yourself. Oriana's easily manipulated." The slurred words of the figure standing in a side door shrouded in shadow, echoed around the space.
Kaidan had the sense that this was the person pulling Oriana's strings.
oOo
Fully suited up, Shepard walked into Rorie's room. She just needed a second to absorb the peace in her daughter's face, before the chaos began.
"We're approaching orbit, Shepard," notified Joker, quietly.
With one last look, Shepard hustled to the elevator. This was their chance to assess the facility and make plans as best they could with what they could see from up here. As she stepped inside, the doors closing, that niggling question reasserted itself in her head. Why the medical staff? Jacob had mentioned neurologists…not just recently, but three years ago, and they were only the ones Jacob knew about. And it still bothered her that Oriana Lawson - a woman who had helped refugees and invested in charities after – would do something like this. Her sister, yes, but Shepard knew only too well from meeting her own clone, that having identical genetics didn't make you the same person….
The answer to both puzzles came to her in a shocking moment of clarity that coincided with the elevator's arrival on the CIC. Her father and Liara were standing with Teryck and Traynor.
"Liara. Lawson's accounts - were there any payments to neurosurgeons soon after she came into her inheritance?"
Checking on her omnitool, Liara nodded. "Yes. A day later."
"Are you alright, Terra? You look pale," frowned Hackett.
"I don't think Oriana is the driving force behind Chimera."
"Then who?"
It was Teryck who put the pieces together first, audibly inhaling as his eyes widened. "Miranda Lawson's alive."
oOo